Is the fruit on a palm tree edible?

Question

The palm trees near me have at this time of year lots of fig like nuts hanging down - are these edible? Someone said they had to be dried and others I watch eat them straight off the tree?

Answer 1

they are Dates

Answer 2

The Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera) is a palm extensively cultivated for its edible fruit. It is a medium-sized tree, 15-25 m tall, often clumped with several trunks from a single root system, but also often growing singly. The fruit is a drupe known as a date. They are oval-cylindrical, 3-7 cm long, and 2-3 cm diameter, and when unripe, range from bright red to bright yellow in colour, depending on variety. Dates contain a single seed about 2-2.5 cm long and 6-8 mm thick. Three main Cultivar Groups of date exist; soft (e.g. 'Barhee', 'Halawy', 'Khadrawy', 'Medjool'), semi-dry (e.g. 'Dayri', 'Deglet Noor', 'Zahidi'), and dry (e.g. 'Thoory'). The type of fruit depends on the glucose, fructose and sucrose content.

Parthenocarpic cultivars are available but the seedless fruit is smaller and of lower quality.

Dates ripen in four stages, which are known throughout the world by their Arabic names kimri (unripe), khalal (full-size, crunchy), rutab (ripe, soft), tamr (ripe, sun-dried). A 100 gram portion of fresh dates is a premium source of vitamin C and supplies 230 kcal (960 kJ) of energy. Since dates contain relatively little water, they do not become much more concentrated upon drying, although the vitamin C disappears in the process.

Dates are an important traditional crop in Iraq, Arabia, and north Africa west to Morocco. In Islamic countries, dates and milk are a traditional first meal when the sun sets during Ramadan. Dates (especially Medjool and Deglet Noor) are also cultivated in southern California in the United States.

Answer 3

I have seen them grown in Tunisia. There are two hundred female plants to every single male plants. They had this old guy climbing up the female trees with male seeds in his hand to 'seed' them. It was facinating. My missus hated Tunisia, thought it was dirty. I think its just an Africa thing though, a different way of life out there. You wanna taste them in a country where they are grown, totally different taste, far superior.

Answer 4

Some have ornamental fruit, which is NOT edible. I don't know if it's poisonous.

Answer 5

where do you think dates come from ,huh ,a palm tree where else .,

Answer 6

I should think you can eat them. They are dates

Answer 7

If they are orange in colour then no they are not to be eaten,